Gold and Silver Roses
by Michiru Takamuni
Summary: Draco finally gets the Gryffindor by himself and tells him what dark secrets he has been carrying for so long about the Dark Lord...
1. Default Chapter

Gold and Silver Roses  
  
Draco watched Harry sit with the redhead Ron. Their chess game had been going on for at least an hour now, and the itching desire to speak with Harry had grown to the size of a dementor's icy gaze. Finally, he heard the Weasel say the relieving words,  
"Checkmate!" After only a few more minutes, the red head departed from the library and left Harry alone. Perfect...The blonde thought devilishly. He began to rise from his seat, until the bushy haired mudblood approached him. Damn. That stupid mudblood just has to come in my way. Oh Merlin, make her leave! Almost after that thought, the female Gryffindor leaves. Immediately, the Slytherin fifth year practically ran across the library and slammed his fists against the table where Harry sat. The boy's bright green eyes looked up into Draco's through his circular glasses.  
"May I help you?" He asked through almost clenched teeth.  
"I need to talk to you...now." The Slytherin whispered in a fierce voice. With almost an annoyed sigh, Harry gathered his things and left the library, inconspicuously grasping his wand under his robes. After getting to the Great Hall, Draco threw Harry against the stone wall.  
"Listen to me, Potter. You're friends can't help you now."  
"Just tell me what you want, Malfoy so I may be on my way." Harry hissed back. Draco slowly released his grip on Harry's robes and stared into his brilliant green eyes.  
"Whether you believe me or not, P...Harry...I'm not a Death Eater. Well, I am...but I didn't want to be." He said, as his face became slightly crimson. For once, Harry was curious about what Draco had to say. Leaning in perplexingly, he whispered,  
"Go on." Draco could only stand there. Grabbing the sleeve of Harry's robes, he brought him into a deserted classroom, except for two Hufflepuffs that were looking at them with large frightened eyes.  
"What are you looking at? GET OUT!" Draco shouted and they scrambled out the door, but not without turning over a few desks and tables. The Slytherin boy looked at him, but without loathing. In his hand was his wand, and he dropped it upon the ground. Harry eyed the wand carefully and then stared at him.  
"What is this about?"  
"Harry, this is it. Let me tell you the story. You might want to sit down and get comfortable." Hesitantly, Harry sat down on the old oak desk that was once a teacher's and motioned for Draco to continue. He drew in a deep breath and began to tell the deep dark secret that even the thick headed Crabbe and Goyle did not know.  
"It was when I turned ten years old. My father had awoken me from my slumber in my expensive room. Mind you, I only sleep upon the finest of materials money can buy. Anyway, the night was cold. I remember the Merlin's eye staring at me as I sat with my father in the black carriage and we journeyed through death's embrace. I slept next to my father's warm arms, hoping that the dread in the pit of my stomach would cease. I was so ignorant then! We at last came to a dark castle that as unfamiliar to me. Why we came to such a messy place, I thought I would never know. Wanting to hold my father's hand as if I were an infant again crossed my mind several times as dementors grazed passed us with no sense of slowing their fluid pace. I bit my lip as we entered into the forever darkness. A lump had appeared in my throat as we walked down the stone steps that the earth gave birth to. I was such a fool then to actually think that I was there just to learn more about my father's work. As we descended, I could hear the low ominous hiss from a snake's throat. My, I was such a coward! When we reached the womb of the stairs, there was an oak table and two chairs sitting there in front of us. The chair farthest to us, there was my greatest fear standing there. The white skull gleamed at me as if it were the moon's son. Burning crimson eyes stared at me and pierced my very soul. The scream died in my throat and tears wanted to be released. With my fathers' strong hand on my arm, he brought me closer to the figure of Voldemort." Harry's scar tingled with the memory of the man and he began to feel sorry for Draco. Imagine, being sorry to your worst enemy!  
"My father held me down as The Lord began to do his work upon me. All the promises my father made to me in my childhood were now being betrayed! Have you ever felt like I did? So alone and without a real friend in the world?" Harry could recall. "It was horrible. The fires of Hell came from that wand and put this" Draco rolled up his sleeve "curse on me! What a burden, to be a slave all your life and without wanting to be! I cried the entire time, wanting, pleading for him to stop. Of course, the Dark Lord does not know mercy upon a little boy. Not even a small infant that became the most famous of us all: You Harry. It sickens me." Harry leaned closer to inspect the Dark Mark upon Draco's fair arm. The snake and the skull looked like a large blemish on the perfect skin. Harry finally understood Draco.  
"Is that why, Draco, you sought out all of us? To make you feel better by making us seem like we were inferior?" Harry asked with a touch of anger in his voice.  
"Yes." Draco whispered without meeting the green eyes. "And I regret it all. Frankly, when I met you all on the train, in my mind I wanted to ask for your help. But, being myself, my mouth would not allow. That is how all of it started. There is another thing I must tell you. Harry, you must be prepared. Voldemort is coming soon, I can't tell you when, but very soon. I heard my father talking about it. I have to go somewhere. I don't care really where. Hide under Dumbledore's desk all year if you have to. Just be safe." Then the blonde turned to leave. "And Harry?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Can you keep a secret?"  
"Of course." Draco's cheeks turned red.  
"I know it will never be, but, tell Hermione that she looked nice at the Yule Ball. Make sure she doesn't tell Ron." Harry began to smile.  
"Of course not, Draco." Then, the Slytherin left. Harry could only sit there and take in the story of Draco's life. The green eyes suddenly looked at the floor where the sunlight hit. There, basking in the warmth of the rays, were gold and silver roses. Peace between Gryffindors and Slytherins had finally arrived. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two Hermione could only stare at Harry with her mouth agape as she listened to all he was telling her. Ron sat there holding her hand by the fire with the same expression printed upon his face.  
"And that was all he said." Harry finished, but omitted the comment Draco had said about Hermione for Ron's sake.  
"It has to be one of his tricks. Draco is up to something. Unless he has gotten so incredibly soft on us all of a sudden." Ron said and Hermione had to agree.  
"Ron has a point. I mean, he's called us all names and tormented us all through these years. Why would he have reason to stop now?" The busy hair girl said as she looked at the boy-who-lived.  
"Look, I know it seems to be absolutely insane, but I can't help but believe some of it. I saw the scar upon his arm. No one could have enjoyed getting that." The three friends fell silent and looked at the fire in the hearth.  
"I guess we need to give him a chance to explain himself." Hermione said and Ron shot a glance at her.  
"Hermione, are you mad?" He shouted and Harry hushed him before he awoke the other sleeping Gryffindors. Silence once more.  
"Please Ron, think about it. How would you like to be forced to be a Death Eater and want reconciliation?" Hermione asked her boyfriend and the redhead fell silent for a moment.  
"Fine." Ron said shortly.  
"So, are you in?" Harry asked with his green eyes bright with hope.  
"Yes." He replied and Hermione kissed his cheek and embraced him for thanks. Then, Ron whispered, "Bloody hell."  
  
Draco sat in the Slytherin commonroom with his thoughts on the trio, which he knew, were heading this way. How he knew, he didn't know. Closing a book that he long stopped reading, the blonde crept out of the tower and into the hallway. His wand glowing at the tip with a small white light, Draco searched for them. Of course, he couldn't see them and ended up colliding with Harry, Ron, and Hermione under the invisibility cloak.  
"Ouch, sorry Ron." Hermione said, for she landed on top of him as Harry on her. Draco fell upon the floor back first and began laughing at them.  
"I hope you three aren't going to play on that, are you?" The blonde joked and Hermione, Harry, and Ron blushed, but it was she that glared.  
"Don't pull this on us right now, Malfoy. We are out in the open where any teacher could expel us." The bushy hair girl said and Draco apologized. Harry, being the first one up, took the cloak and covered all four of them so they could regain their footing. Then, as Ron stood, Draco pointed through the dark hallway.  
"Follow me. I know a place where we may talk." He led them down into a deserted classroom in the dungeon. The red head didn't appreciate the spiders in the room, nor the amount of dust, but they all sat down at a large table and Draco began.  
"I won't repeat my story because Harry obviously already told you. What do you all want to know?" He asked and waited for a question. Ron was the first.  
"For one thing, Malfoy, I don't believe you. I want to see that scar for myself." He spat and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. Ron suppressed a grunt and Draco quietly began to pull up his sleeve.  
"If you really want to see it, Weasley, then go ahead." The blonde said just as the scar was uncovered. A small "Bloody hell" came from the silence, but that was all. Hermione seemed to be caught and unable to breathe. Never before had she thought such an evil mark would be on such flawless skin.  
"That's...horrible!" She gasped and pulled the arm forcefully towards herself.  
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Asked all three boys as she took out her wand.  
"Are you mad, woman?!" Draco gasped as her wand began to glow over the scar. Ron's ears turned red, but he didn't hit the Malfoy, for he was transfixed on what his girlfriend was doing. The blonde was frightened as vivid memories of the Dark Lord's wand poised over his bare arm flooded in. "Please...Sir...let go of me..."  
"Sir?" Harry asked, but Hermione shushed him. Ron was watching the two as Draco's face twisted in pain; then Hermione's smooth face winced in pain as she held onto the boy's arm.  
"I will not let go until you tell me...where does he keep it?" She asked as both their faces winced once more. Tears began to stream down the Slytherin's face although she didn't hold on very tightly. It was the pain from his past that they were experiencing.  
"In the basement...please...it hurts...I don't want to become a Death Eater...father...tell him...to let go..." Draco whispered and moaned in pain. Hermione looked at Ron and Harry. Then, the boy-who-lived spoke.  
"I can't, son. You know that, for you are my forgiveness." Draco's eyes squeezed tightly together and he began to sob. Finally, Hermione let go. The blonde immediately stood and turned the table over on the Gryffindors. He still was crying as he hid in the corner away from the light. Ron had stopped the table before it pinned them all down and the bushy hair girl ran to Draco's side.  
"Draco, I'm sorry." She whispered as she touched his shoulder. He quickly pushed her away.  
"You don't understand, Woman! You're parents didn't give you away so they could be forgiven. Harry was right when he said this. It brought back all the memories that I had. You know nothing of pain!" He shouted and Ron ran at him just before Draco hit her. The redhead threw himself onto the Slytherin and punched him hard in the face several times. His nose began to bleed along with his busted mouth. After Hermione and Harry pulled him off of Draco, Ron cursed at him.  
"Don't you dare try to touch her ever again, do you hear ME?! NEVER!" Harry drug his friend over to the opposite side of the room as Hermione made Draco look into her eyes.  
"Listen to me, when I touched your arm, I wanted to feel your pain. I experienced it too. I know how you feel right now. Sorry about Ron. Here, clean yourself up." She said and handed him a handkerchief for his nose was practically pouring out the crimson fluid. Hermione then went over to Ron and held him tightly. The redhead responded to this and relaxed much more. This gave time for Harry to speak with Draco. He went over and sat next to him as Draco's tears subsided into the formally white kerchief.  
"Draco, I have a question. What were you two talking about and you answered in the basement?" At this, the Slytherin looked at him.  
"She asked me in my thoughts what I have been hiding from you three. It is something that He wants."  
"You mean Volde..."  
"Don't speak his name! It brings back too much!"  
"Sorry. Go on."  
"It is something that the Dark Lord wanted me to keep from you right after I received the Dark Mark. It's not really in a basement, more of a labyrinth underground. It's a ring that is broken. The shattered pieces cannot be mended except by you, Harry. He made me keep it away from you. We must hurry and get it before the Dark Lord finds out I turned on him." Draco said and stood quickly. "Granger, Weasley, we're going on a short trip. Get your things together. We will me leaving tomorrow at midnight." Draco said to them and the couple looked with confusing eyes at the boys. Little did they know of the ominous deeds that will soon follow their adventure. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Draco led the three into his dark room. Hermione held Ron's hand as Draco opened up a passageway behind his bed. He lit his wand with a white light and offered Harry to go first.

"No, you go first. This is your room." Harry said and Draco shrugged.

"Fine then, since you are obviously scared. It's strange that you're the chosen one that will kill Him and you're scared of the dark." Draco said and Harry practically pushed him into the darkness that led to a spiral staircase. Hermione went after Harry and Ron took up the rear. They all were swallowed by the darkness.

"Harry hold onto me. Hermione, take hold of him. Ron, hold onto your love. I can't see anything. This darkness swallows light. My mom, though, used to whisper a poem to me when I was little. I know this will help us through the labyrinth."

"What is it?" Hermione asked him and she could hear him sigh.

"It was the pathway to the broken ring. Trolls only go to the left, but salvation goes right, left, right. The king looks towards the north star, while the earth looks towards the ground. In life there is always a climax, and then the big drop. Avoid this by praying to Judas, and betray life with darkness."  
"How is that supposed to help us?" Ron asked and Hermione squeezed his hand.

"It practically spells it out for you. Listen to it. 'Trolls only go to the left, but salvation goes right, left, right.' Basically, that means, we can't go where trolls do, but the other ones. Draco, go right, left, right. Then, go north, which is straight, although there is going to be a dip. The path is going to be really steep and then down swiftly. Judas was on Jesus's right hand, so go left. So, when the path starts to drop, keep to the left. Got it, Draco?" Draco nodded and he felt Harry put his hand on his shoulder and whisper into his ear.  
"I understand you're scared. I am too. Just keep on the path, and I'll help you. Okay?" Draco nodded.  
"Why are you being so nice to me, Harry? I've been so mean to you for so long." Harry smiled, although no one could see it.  
"I believe that there is good in you. You weren't supposed to be filled with hate and darkness. You're dad did that to you. Let us help you. Let me believe in you, Draco." Harry said, and for some reason, Draco blushed. It was unusual that he was so close to him, but it made him seem as if his mother was once looking over him again. He nodded and let Harry leave his hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go, then. Let's find this ring." Draco said.

The air was dead as they approached the giant abyss to their right. They kept going down, down, further into the darkness, until Draco smacked into something. A Dead End. "Ugh, this is as far as we go." He whispered and Ron pushed past them.  
"This can't be it. Let me try to get through." He answered and pushed at the stone in front of him. Hermione joined her boyfriend and began to whisper a series of opening chants. Suddenly, the stone began to budge.

"Harry, Draco, help me!" Ron grunted and they shoved at the wall. A light shone on their faces as they all fell foreword into a bright chamber.

"Nice to see that you all made it here." Said a voice in front of them. The teens looked up to see Voldemort and his Death Eaters staring down at them.

"Oh God..." Draco whispered. The scar on his arm began to burn.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Voldemort's red eyes looked down at the four kids in his presence. The Death Eaters grabbed them and pulled them to their feet. Draco looked up as his father held his arms. "Father, what are you..." He began, but the man interrupted him. "You were supposed to be helping me. We brought you over so we could avenge Potter's family. Every kind of responsibility I give you you just throw it away. How could you go to the other side, Draco?"  
"Dad, I didn't want to be a Death Eater! You made me! I was so young, but that didn't stop you, did it?" He said, but then Voldemort slapped him. "Don't you dare speak to your father that way. I can do much worse to you, anyhow." He said and Draco felt his skin burn where the man had touched it. Voldemort nodded to the Death Eaters. Voldemort walked up to a podium where there were shards of a ring there. Hermione was pulled foreword. "Hermione! Don't you dare lay a finger on her. I'll KILL YOU!" Ron shouted, trying desperately to break way from his restraints. "Ron, it's okay." Hermione said and looked over at the dangerous wizard. "What do you want? If you want me to repair that, I can't." She said and Voldemort grabbed her bushy hair. She yelled in pain as he brought her close to his face. "Listen to me, you better repair this ring. Or else there's going to be concequences." He whispered with a low dangerous voice. She bit her lip, but shook her head. "I can't. Only Harry can do it." She said and the man nodded.  
"Fine." The Death Eater pulled up her sleeve. "DON'T!" Draco yelled and began to pull from his father's grasp. "If you can't do that, I'll make you by making you my slave. How does that sound?" He asked and then Draco escaped. He covered Hermione just as the flaming spark fell from the black wand. A scream of pain ripped through the air and stabbed at everyone's hearts. Hermione fell over Draco's body as tears dropped onto his face. Ron and Harry broke free from their bonds and charged at Voldemort. They easilly took over the old man, but the Death Eaters were harder to take on. Harry summoned a few rocks and hit the Death Eaters in the head. They all fell down easilly and Ron attacked Voldemort once more. Hermione shout death spells at Voldemort's enemies and brought them down quickly. Harry put his wand at Voldemort's neck and the old man began to back away. "What's the matter, Potter? Why can't you just take me out right now? End all of this. Wait, before you do, why don't you tell your loving friends how you truly feel?" The man asked, his red eyes blazing. "What's he talking about, Harry?" Ron asked and Hermione looked at the boy-that-lived. Harry lowered his eyes and looked at Draco who was beginning to recover. His big green eyes looked at him with love and unending affection. Draco wasn't really sure what to do when Harry kissed him, but then he felt a bit of love toward the man. Draco touched the back of his head and brought his lips closer. Hermione and Rons' jaws dropped and Voldemort laughed. "You see? This man isn't exactly what you thought, huh? His love for the same sex brought him to love Draco, although they teased each other all these years. And so, this is how I'm going to destroy your friend..." Voldemort said and brought up his wand. Ron raised his first and shot the death spell to the old creature. The body fell and died. Hermione embraced Ron as Harry and Draco got to their feet.  
"So, Harry, when did this happen?" Harry smiled and shrugged.  
"I couldn't help myself. I didn't really know that I loved him until I started having dreams about him. I can't deny my feelings towards him. Draco, I'm sorry if you don't feel the same," He said and pulled away. However, Draco touched the boy's shoulder. "I understand Harry, I do. I thought I loved Hermione for a while there, but I love you, Harry. I love you," He said and they kissed. Ron looked at Hermione. "Don't this seem a little, you know, wrong?" He asked his girlfriend and she shrugged.

Hermione opened up the letter she had just recieved. Ron grabbed her around her waist as she read the letter aloud to her lover:

Hermione and Ron:  
Draco and I are doing just fine. I get to stay over at his house all summer so I don't have to go back to the Dursleys. They had quite a spell when they found out I had a boyfriend. Draco scared them when he threatened to do magic. He inherited all of his family fortune and so we'll never run out of money. Isn't that great? Sorry this note is going to be a little short. Draco's wanting me to go. With Love, Harry

Hermione smiled and Ron kissed her. They were happy for their friend and wanted to visit them soon. He touched her bushy hair and she laughed. "Well, I guess this isn't the time that we're expecting, huh?" She asked and he laughed. Perhaps at another time.


End file.
